Male Sheep Fathers 33 Lambs in Just 24 Hours After Escaping Farmer's Field

Male Sheep Fathers 33 Lambs in Just 24 Hours After Escaping Farmer's Field

Quote:

A ram managed to breed with almost a third of a flock of ewes at West Lodge Rural Centre in Northamptonshire after jumping a fence.

The woolly lothario, who has been named Randy by farm staff, was only loose for 24 hours after escaping.
Thirteen of his offspring have already been born at the farm in Desborough, and 20 ewes are currently expecting.
The centre divides its 109 ewes when it comes to breeding so they have two waves of lambs.
But Randy, an 11 month old texel ram, jumped the 5ft fence when all the ewes were still in one field.
Farmer Ryan Thompson said: 'It’s quite comical because we separate them for a couple of months before breeding season, but when they come into season the ewes produce a perfume that drives rams wild.'
Farmer Ed Dee, 42, who lives at the farm, said: 'He had a bit of a smirk on his face.'

They're only kids: Ryan Thompson the farm manager holds two of the lambs born after Randy's escapade

Quote:

He said: 'My wife and boys had to help out because Randy had fathered so many lambs.

'We were all stunned when we found out how many were actually expecting. We got a vet out to do a animal equivalent of an ultra-sound on a few that we thought were pregnant but he came back and told us that at least 30 were due. We don’t know how he managed it all.'

Quote:

Mr Thompson revealed that Randy had another stroke of luck in December when he jumped the fence again to escape slaughter.

He said: 'He was due to be slaughtered before Christmas but jumped the fence at the last minute and we didn’t realise until it was too late. He’s certainly the luckiest ram I’ve ever met.'

The farm’s ewes are a mix of Southdowns, Suffolks and Soays crosses. Each of its two rams usually breeds with about 40 of the ewes.

Look, do whatever you want with this sheep, but keep him away from my ass